


Ep. 1: To Catch A Traitor, Pt. I

by NervousAliceCurious



Series: Transformers: Nexus [3]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Foregone Conclusions, Gen, Good Intentions, Governmental Corruption, Pilot Episode, Rumors, Secret Plots, So Many Secret Plots, Traitor, Travels Into The Unknown, the allspark - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 21:52:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17816165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NervousAliceCurious/pseuds/NervousAliceCurious
Summary: As the Autobots begin their mission, Optimus Prime sets in motion a series of events that may not turn out the way he thinks.





	Ep. 1: To Catch A Traitor, Pt. I

**Author's Note:**

> I've never done something like this before, aahhh!! ><

_The world hath become a very strange place._

_A land filled with heroes and villains, humans and monsters of epic proportions._

_In the olden days, such fear, terror, joy, and sadness were but fleeting shadows._

_Yet the day they came…_

_Our lives changed._

 

-

  

What looked to be a shooting star careened from the heavens, sparking the outside media into a frenzy!

 

Arii was too young to be appreciative of its power, of course, but that didn’t stop her from being amazed nonetheless.

 

The speed with which they’d gotten hold of such a story…

 

 

It both intrigued and terrified her at the same time.

 

 

 

From the ratty, old couch her mother clucked her tongue.

 

 

‘Isn’t that just shameful…making light of such a serious omen’.

 

 

Father’s voice echoed from the kitchen.

 

 

‘Say what?’

 

 

‘Those on the unenlightened side are celebrating the very harbinger of their doom!’

 

 

He snorted in response.

 

 

‘That’s what they always do’.

 

-

 

_39 minutes before…_

 

 

‘Megatron!’

 

 

Shockblast looked up from the scanner.

 

 

‘Our target has been sighted six mega-clicks ahead of us’.

 

 

Seated on his throne the Deception leader made no bones about his next move:

 

 

‘Demolisher!’

 

 

The warrior stood to attention.

 

 

‘Yes sir!’

 

 

‘Set a course for the Autobot ship.

 

Cyclonus, put the turbo thruster at its highest setting’.

 

 

‘Aye, aye cap’n!’

 

 

As the two soldiers moved to do exactly these things, Megatron allowed a smug smile to grace his features.

 

 

_Just you wait, Optimus…your precious cargo shall soon be mine!_

 

 

-

 

_Ar **e you ready to go out there and put on the performance of your life?**_

 

-

 

‘Longarm!’

 

Blur’s hurried tones carried faster than the hum of an insect’s wings.

 

‘What?’

 

The newest warrior snapped out of his daydream faster than lightning.

 

 

‘Optimus wants to speak to you’.

 

 

Or, at least, that’s what it’d sounded like…

 

 

‘To me…’

 

 

‘Yes he seemed very adamant that he talk with you as soon as possible’.

 

 

‘What about?’

 

 

The blue bot shrugged in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it.

 

 

‘How would I know?

 

He’s been acting very secretive lately…’

 

 

Filing that handy tidbit of information away for future reference, he headed off to the cargo hold with nary a second glance.

  

-

 

Optimus didn’t do it by choice.

 

No.

 

He hated lying to his men about the true treasure they were carrying, but he couldn’t risk it.

 

 

He’d received a warning from headquarters a light-cycle before he left stating that a plant had slipped through the cracks of his team.

 

 

Coincidentally on the same day Longarm Prime had shown up…

 

 

‘Sir?’

 

 

A sudden voice pulled him out of his troubled thoughts.

 

 

‘You wanted to see me about something?’

 

 

Speak of the Devil...

  

_And he shall appear._

  

-

 

Drift may have been the Resident Unapproachable (as nick-named by Wheeljack and his ilk), but that didn’t mean he was so aloof that certain issues passed him by.

 

 

‘Hey, did you hear?’

 

 

A bot in white whom he’d never formally met had been in the process of imparting gossip.

 

Conveniently not noticing that he was nearby whilst doing so.

 

 

‘A lot of conspiracy machines have been up in arms over this latest cargo run’.

 

 

Another bot in pink looked skeptical.

 

 

‘A lot of conspiracy machines go up in arms over anything’.

 

 

She put a hand upon her hip.

 

 

‘Yeah, but this time it’s different’.

 

 

Now she raised an eyebrow.

 

 

‘Oh yeah?’

 

 

‘They’re claiming that the Allspark isn’t really what’s being taken out of the solar system’.

 

 

‘Hah!

 

No way!’

 

 

‘Yes way!

 

And boy, are they upset’.

 

 

‘Not hard to imagine why after the government scandal broke-‘

 

 

‘There’s more’.

 

 

‘No’.

 

 

‘Yes.

 

According to one of the Guard there might just be a traitor on board’.

 

 

‘From the Decepticons?’

 

 

‘So he said’.

 

 

‘How the heck did the Powers That Be let _that_ oneslip!?’

 

 

 

That’s what _he_ wanted to know.

 

 

 

‘Reportedly, things got a little out of hand at the Sparking Wagon’.

 

 

‘Ahhh...’

 

 

 

After that, the conversation had moved on to other, less consequential topics.

 

But the damage had already been done.

 

 

_Rumors are insidious creatures._

 

He, himself would not be dissuaded in his faith toward Optimus...but would the same hold true for everyone else?

-

  

_How to start this...?_

‘Longarm.

 

You’ve been settling in alright?’

 

 

‘Yes, sir’.

 

 

Formal and composed.

 

 

This was obviously a bot who could handle astronomical amounts of pressure.

 

 

‘Good’.

 

 

He nodded, and began to lay out the trap.

 

-

 

 

‘The others filled you in on our mission, correct?’

 

 

‘Yes...yes they did’.

 

 

Longarm surreptitiously scanned the area for any signs of It.

 

 

_Well done, Optimus..._

_You’ve managed to hide successfully hide it from the likes of me._

But a mere camouflage job wouldn’t be enough to throw him off the scent.

 

 

‘So you know, then, what is at stake?’

 

 

‘Yes, sir’.

 

 

-

 

 

Without any explanations, the Autobot leader went over to a hidden compartment in the wall, and placed his hand upon its respective scanner.

 

 

It shone a brilliant blue as his print registered positive.

 

 

_Whoosh-!_

 

As the four panels split to reveal an orange, metal chest nestled firmly within the confines of a secret cabinet, he purposefully turned to make sure the newly-fledged warrior was watching.

 

 

Optimus felt a small surge of satisfaction at Longarm’s seemingly-innocent stare.

 

 

_I knew it._

Acting like it didn’t matter that he was unlatching the fastenings of only _the_ most important artifact within Cybertronian history _right_ in front of a potential enemy...

 

 

He said:

 

 

‘I know it may seem like I brought you here out of a fatherly-concern for how well you’re adjusting’.

 

 

**But that is not the truth.**

 

He carefully lifted the lid of the container, and exposed a bright, gorgeously shimmering orb of ethereal power.

 

 

‘In actuality, I wanted to appoint you Official Protector of the ever-loving Allspark’.

 

-

 

_This has to be a trap._

 

As good as it seemed, sadly, that had to be the case.

 

_There is no way in the whole of the Universe that such an impressive cargo would **ever** be entrusted to my care._

**_Ever._ **

****

****

Wait until Megatron heard the news.

**Author's Note:**

> And...breathe.
> 
> Hooray! You've made it all the way to the end of this 995-word episode!!
> 
> Feel free to share your opinions in the comments below.
> 
> Also, I'm thinking of a bi-, or tri-monthly posting schedule for this based on how life, school, etc. turns out.
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks so much for reading!!
> 
> -NAC


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